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Scaffold laws protect construction workers

It is nearly impossible to walk down the streets of New York City without seeing a scaffold, and in many instances, pedestrians are walking under the scaffolds even as construction workers walk above them performing repairs. Scaffolds are vital to the upkeep and continued growth of our great city, but they also come with inherent risks. Not only are they high above the ground, bringing with them a risk of falling, but they can also cause injury by collapsing if they are not properly constructed or inspected.

According to reports, the majority of construction workers frequently work atop scaffolds, which is why the regulations behind the safety of scaffolds are so strict. In order to conform with OSHA requirements, a scaffold must be able to support four times its maximum intended load, as well as the weight of itself, and a competent person must inspect the scaffolds. This person should also supervise the movement, erection and other such alterations of the scaffold should such actions occur.

Thanks to New York Labor Law section 240, construction workers have even more protections from the dangers of construction accidents suffered by scaffolds. It is often called the scaffold law, and it imposes absolute liability on instances in which negligence is displayed by contractors or owners of a work site. What this essentially means is that if adequate safety and care were not displayed and a worker suffers an injury, the contractor or work site owner will likely be held liable for the injuries, even if the worker himself was displaying negligence before the injury.

Workers' compensation benefits are extremely important to construction workers, and scaffolds are a significant reason for that. Because the risk of injury is so high, construction workers are strongly encouraged to take advantage of their workers' compensation benefits if they suffer an injury on the job.

Success Stories

A 43 year old ironworker who fell four stories and sustained injuries to his ankle while installing a staircase settled his
claim for $1,500,000.00. The accident was due to the failure of the building owner and general contractor to provide a safe place to work.

A construction worker operating an asphalt roller settled his
case for $525,000.00 when the edge of the roadway he was paving collapsed into a trench being dug by a subcontractor causing him to sustain injuries to his leg.

A 54 year old commuter settled his
case against the NYCTA for $1,200,000.00. when he tripped and fell on a subway platform due to the pavement being in disrepair, causing him to fall forward and to strike his head on a train pulling into the station.

The estate of a 64 year old woman
received a settlement of $425,000.00 after she was struck and killed by a speeding tractor trailer while crossing the street at the intersection of Richmond Terrace and Port Richmond Avenue.

A $1,200,000.00 settlement was reached on behalf of a 54 year old man from Staten Island, New York, who, while in the course of his employment as a bus driver, was rear-ended on the Garden State Parkway and caused to suffer injuries to his back and neck as well as a fractured rib and fractured pelvis.

A 47-year-old building superintendent who sustained injuries to his head and right side of his body due to a tripping hazard at his job site
received a settlement of $300,000.00 from the electrical company performing work at the site.

A 43 year old construction worker was caused to sustain injuries to his back, shoulder and hand when the elevator he was riding malfunctioned and dropped 8 floors. He
received $350,000.00 in the settlement of his claim against the building owner, maintenance company and elevator company.

The administrator of the estate of a 69 year old man who suffered stage four pressure sores while a patient at a Queens nursing home
settled the case for $400,000.00 after the man died.